Pakistan’s representative to the United Nations Security Council has warned that the activities of militant groups in Afghanistan have increased since the Taliban returned to power, describing the situation as a serious threat to regional and international security.
Addressing the Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar said that groups including Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and al-Qaeda continue to benefit from safe havens inside Afghanistan.
According to Iftikhar, these groups use Afghan territory to recruit fighters, conduct training and plan cross-border attacks.
He called on the Security Council to hold the Taliban accountable for their commitment to prevent Afghan territory from being used to launch terrorist attacks against other countries. He also urged the international community to pursue those providing financial and military support to terrorist organizations.
Referring to the latest report of the UN Monitoring Team, the Pakistani envoy said that although counterterrorism operations have weakened the capabilities of Islamic State, the group continues to pose a significant threat in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa.
Iftikhar also called for stronger international cooperation, more effective border management, enhanced security capacity and coordinated efforts to counter the use of emerging technologies—including drones, social media and artificial intelligence—by terrorist organizations.
The Taliban have repeatedly stated that Afghan territory will not be used to threaten other countries. They had not issued an immediate response to Pakistan’s latest remarks at the time of publication.
